The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has caused major travel problems
BA is slated to restart flights to Dubai in July and run a limited schedule to the Middle East. However, the airline has now shared an update for customers worried about travelling to the region.(Image: Ceri Breeze via Getty Images)
The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has caused major travel problems. Airspace closures in the Middle East have led to vast flight cancellations, rerouted journeys, and delays.
Since peace talks have stalled, many airlines, including British Airways (BA), are still suspending flights to major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
BA is slated to restart flights to Dubai in July and run a limited schedule to the Middle East. However, the airline has now shared an update for customers worried about travelling to the region.
The airline is now allowing customers to move travel dates without a change fee for bookings originally scheduled up to and including 31 October 2026.
BA’s update reads: “We understand that the continuing situation in the Middle East remains worrying for many of our customers, particularly those planning travel in the months ahead.
“Due to ongoing uncertainty and airspace restrictions, some of our flights in the region have been cancelled or temporarily suspended, including services to and from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Tel Aviv, and Riyadh.
“To give customers greater peace of mind, we’re extending the flexibility available to those with bookings to these destinations.”
Travellers can now request a full refund for flights to destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, and Doha, even if their flight is still scheduled. This option is available for tickets for travel between February 28 and October 31, 2026.
For travel from June 2, if you want to travel later, you can change your booking without a change fee.
You can move your trip to a later date on the same route or rebook on a different British Airways route, but you may need to pay any fare difference.
At the same time, BA is expanding its flight network to other destinations, adding new routes and increasing the number of flights.
This expansion includes new long-haul flights to Melbourne and Colombo, more flights to U.S. cities such as Miami, Dallas, Las Vegas, and San Diego, and more seats to popular vacation destinations such as Jamaica, Bangkok, and South Africa.
Will your holiday to Dubai go ahead?
If you are planning a holiday to destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Jordan this summer, it’s advisable to check the latest travel advice for the country you plan to visit.
Right now, the FCDO still advises against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter
It’s guidance, as of June 2, 2026, on travel in the Middle East states: “Regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption.”
“The Iranian regime has publicly stated its intention to target locations associated with the United States and Israel. This includes US or Israeli-linked organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions.”
“Stay away from areas around security or military facilities, and US or Israeli-linked locations.”
“Iranian strikes against civilian infrastructure across the region, such as ports, hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems, and airports, have decreased. However, the risk of renewed strikes remains, and further attacks could occur at short notice.”
If you travel against this official advice, your travel insurance will likely be invalid. Authorities strongly recommend that British, Irish, and Australian citizens in the UAE think about leaving if it is safe to do so.
If you have concerns about your flight or package holiday, contact your travel provider to see what your options are, as many are offering refunds and rebooking.
Follow our senior travel reporter, Portia Jones, on TikTok for the latest travel updates.